

SNIGGLING FOR EELS. 12/ 



Sniggling for Eels. 



The art of sniggling is somewhat difficult to de- 

 scribe 5 yet as it is a most valuable, and, indeed, the 

 only way, that can be practised in the day time to 

 take large Eels by baits, I shall bestow every pains 

 to explain the method pursued in sniggling, and illus- 

 trate the same with cuts representing the needle, line, 

 &c., employed in this species of fishing. In place of 

 a hook, a stout needle is used ; that kind with which 

 tailors stitch button-holes, and the small needle, used 

 by sail-makers, are the best ; they should not exceed 

 two inches in length : before you use them, break off 

 about the eighth of an inch of the point, which 

 strengthens the needle, and still leaves it sufficiently 

 sharp for the purpose of sniggling. A few yards of 

 whip, or any small cord, wound on a thumb-winder, 

 or any thing else, is sufficient for the line ; but the 

 same quantity of stout platted silk, such as is used in 

 trolling for Pike, is far superior : for a rod, a branch 

 of willow, or hazel, near three yards long, is generally 

 used ; the small end being bent nearly to a half-circle, 

 and confined to that shape by tying a string near the 

 ' point, and fastening the other end of it near the middle 

 of the rod. A friend of mine has much improved the 

 rod, by using about half a yard of stout bell-wire, 

 either of copper, brass, or iron, for the bend, or circle 

 at the top, which does away entirely the necessity of 

 tying across with strings and this wire also passes 

 through the water with less resistance than wood j 



